INCOMING: THEE OH SEES!
Hailing from San Francisco, California, Thee Oh Sees - led by musical extraordinaire John Dwyer - have a new album out titled Warm Slime. Released on In The Red Records on May 11th, the band are also back in the UK as part of their European tour. Yes, it’s time to get excited. The prolific garage/psych foursome played an intimate show in Wigan two years ago; the show is still talked about by those in attendance as one of the best gigs ever in the town. The bands low-fi psychedelic electric accoustic sound takes influence from folk, garage, punk and 60s psychedelia. Mark Vernon of Brown Brogues caught up with John Dwyer to talk about their new album and other funny stuff..
First things first before you answer the heavy sh!t
Mark: Where are you right now?
John: In my bedroom looking into my free computer.
Mark: Favourite colour?
John: Puce.
Mark: First ever musical purchase?
John: A 40$ galian acoustic guitar.
Mark: Bestest Garage band ever?
John: Uh, tough one, The Icky Boyfriends I guess.
Now then the tough stuff:
Mark: The new recordings on the myspace sound sweet, It only seems like 2 weeks ago since Help came out (even though it was April) is there a new Oh Sees album in the pipeline? Maybe called Warm Slime?
John: Warm Slime was recorded at a Hip Hop club all live with an open bar. Chris Woodhouse spent the weekend and it was magical, also Mike Donovan from Sic Alps played on it. There is a 10 song 12” 45 coming out on Captured Tracks of all home recordings..that one soon. Then a one sided 12” with etching on Castle Face of a 13 minute song called Quadd 2009.
Mark: What draws you to working with Chris Woodhouse?
John: He knows how to record a band live, but first and foremost we are freinds and he know’s all my bullshit and he loves old gear and trying some weird our shit for new sounds. An all around genius.
Mark: From the myspace page there’s always like 50 shows booked, is America a good place to be in an Independent band right now?
John: I would say so, with evreyone hurting for cash it would seem people need to be entertained more than ever thankfully for us.
Mark: What did you think about the Master’s Bedroom tour? Well received? Good times? Creepy van driver?
John: Good times. It was my first time over to Europe belive it or not so that was interesting. I loved Ireland an Holland.
Mark: Best advice for an artist or a band looking to try and make a living out of music or just to book their own tour?
John: Just stick with it and call in all your favors from bands in other towns. It’s a two way street with DIY, meaning you book and house them they will likely do the same. Like minded bands and performers will look out for each other. Make cheap merch too, like home made shirts and stuff.. With the internet it’s gotten a lot easier , when I started booking myself it was via the phone and the post so man have things changed.
Mark: The split with ty seagal looks ace. Do you create all the artwork for the albums and singles?
John: Not in a while, as of late I aint been drawing much so I’ve been pulling in talented friends to do the art.. William Khien did Master’s and Help and the the split 7”, but the new one will be this dude I live with named Kyle Ranson. It’s a ruler but pretty different from Williams Style.
Mark: Is San Francisco a good place to be as an artist?
John: San Francisco is great. Infact just the other day driving down the 101 on the way home from shows up North we were talking about how California itself is unlike anywere else in the world. It’s beautiful and full of good and bad vibes, it is it’s own universe.. Could wax retarded about this for too many lines..
Mark: Are there any bands that your psyched about from San Francisco that havent made there way over here yet?
John: Bare Wires and Buzzer (Oakland) The Bathsmystery Lights (Santa Cruz live).
Mark: If you had just done a long stretch in prison what would be the first thing you would listen to upon your release?
John: The music at my favorite taco joint.
Mark: A final word…John Dwyer word of the day?
John: Zip-fry.
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Thee Oh Sees play The Deaf Institute Tuesday June 2nd.
www.myspace.com/ohsees
Check out the band perform ‘Block of Ice’ below -
